Steve R. Chism

Vice President, Programs, FIRST

As Vice President of Programs, Steve Chism has overall program responsibility for all FIRST programs including budget, planning, implementation and logistics. At FIRST, Chism has worked tirelessly with each Program Director to oversee the tremendous growth in the FIRST mission through all four programs: FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC), FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC), FIRST LEGO League (FLL) and Junior FIRST LEGO League (Jr. FLL). Chism joined FIRST as the Senior Director of Programs in 2003.

Chism brings more than 23 years of leadership and experience in technical programs for the U. S. Navy in submarines and submarine related systems development and acquisition. While teaching in the Naval Architecture, Ocean and Marine Engineering Department of the U. S. Naval Academy, Chism started and co-mentored the FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) Team 165, Das Goat, in 1998. Chism then went on to both volunteer and judge as an FRC Judge and Judge Advisor for several years before becoming the Committee Chair of the Chesapeake Regional Planning Committee. It was in September 2003, after the successful inaugural FRC Chesapeake Regional at the U. S. Naval Academy in March 2003, that Chism signed on with FIRST to be the Senior Director of Programs.

He has earned his Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering degree at the University of Southern California, a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering degree and Degree of Mechanical Engineer at the Naval Postgraduate School, and his Master of Science in Engineering degree at The Johns Hopkins University. Chism also holds a level III Program Management certification from the Defense Management Systems College for his work related experiences in submarine industrial shipyards and systems acquisition jobs in the U. S. Navy.